‘China has no veto power vs maritime measure’

Senator Francis Tolentino on Wednesday emphasized that China has no right to veto the country’s proposed Philippine Maritime Zone Law, as much as it has no sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.

“Once approved into law, China has no right to veto it, because they seemed like they want to have a veto power. As an independent country with freedom, China could not stop this Philippine Maritime Zone Law,” Tolentino said in a press briefing at the Senate.

Tolentino also slammed the negative reaction of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ming to the Philippine Senate’s recent approval of Senate Bill 2492 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

The senator quoted Mao saying, “China noticed the relevant developments. The Maritime Zones Act approved by the Senate of the Philippines has attempted to further enforce the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea by domestic legislation and include China’s Huangyan Dao, most islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao, and their adjacent waters into its maritime zones, which severely violates China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.”

Tolentino said it is “much better” to pass the “measure as soon as possible” amid the growing aggression of the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.

He lamented the reported loitering of Chinese vessels in the Philippine (Benham) Rise over the weekend as well as the recent CCG’s ramming and water cannon attack against the country’s supply boat during the Rotational and Re-provisional mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the Ayungin shoal earlier this week.

“It happens one after the other since we passed the law. I don’t know if it was a coincidence but this happens one after the other,” Tolentino said.

“It seems that they feared the implementation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law and it responds to their request that—it is like we don’t continue this, it will appear that we want to be vetoed by them,” he said.

Tolentino emphasized that only Malacañang has veto powers over the proposed legislation and Beijing has no right to intrude in the policy-making of the Philippines.

“They (China) are trying to put a semblance of insignificance but the way they’re acting is that they are worried as to the future ramifications and consequences which the international community will collectively bear [the] brunt on them,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros lambasted China for opposing the Senate's passage of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

“China is the only nation that deludes herself into thinking that the Arbitral Award is illegal. The Senate will carry on with the enactment of the Maritime Zones Act,” she said.

Hontiveros stressed that “no other sovereign country has the right to intervene” in the legislative affairs of the Philippines.

Tolentino, for his part, said the inclusion of the 2016 Arbitral Ruling in the Philippine Maritime Law “is not only legitimate but imperative” noting that it reaffirms the country’s commitment to upholding international law.

“Any objections from China must be met with unwavering defense of our sovereign rights and adherence to lawful arbitration outcomes. Attempts by China to challenge this landmark law are futile and will not deter us from vigorously upholding our rights under international law,” he added.